This lone star state was created as the result of the dedication of some of the most courageous people ever to settle  in the United States of America. One such pioneer was Samuel Wheat Bishop. His amazing story is eloquently told by his son James J. Bishop in his last work entitled "Memoirs and Miracles". James J. Bishop completed this work in 1956 at the age of 90.

Mr. Bishop was the Author of the book entitled "The Rise and Fall of Sparta". He also wrote the Clements Family History. 

Samuel Wheat Bishop is the younger brother to my ggggrandmother Elizabeth Ann (Bishop) Carter. His father, Joseph Bishop my gggggrandfather.

I wish to thank Samuel Worth Bishop Jr., the great grandson of James J Bishop, for transcribing this manuscript and allowing me to publish it on this web page. Jim Hewitt

 

Samuel Wheat Bishop & Brother in Law Adam Quincy Clements

Photo courtesy Samuel Worth Bishop

 Preface

The life of Samuel W. Bishop and the deeds he performed were closely linked with the early history of Texas. Many of his experiences were so thrilling that it would be a loss to posterity were they to be unrecorded. Therefore, I have yielded to numerous requests from his relatives and friends to reproduce in writing such of his experiences as I can recall from memory.

I shall endeavor to write these stories of his early life as he related them to me on many occasions. The story of his later life will be reflected from my personal knowledge of him.

He was brought to Texas in 1838 at the age of six years. He was nine years old and living in Texas when the telegraph was invented. At that time the man on a horse was the swiftest messenger. Sam lived in Texas many years before a mile of railroad was built in the state, when the ox team was the best means of transportation. Texas at that time was truly a wide open space filled with all its beauty of trees and flowers and grass. Upon its broad prairies roamed, at will, thousands of deer, wild cattle, mustang horses, antelope, buffalo and many ferocious wild animals.

Into this wild, unsettled, uncivilized vast territory called Texas, Sam was brought when a child to grow up and take his place in life the best he could.

Dedication

I dedicate this production to the memory of my beloved father, Samuel W. Bishop, to his descendants and his pioneer friends and relatives, also to the lovers of the romance of the early cattle industry in Texas.

I know that school children everywhere will be thrilled to read this true story of a pioneer Texan whose experiences covered a period in Texas of eighty-one years, from 1838 to 1919.

Preview

In order to acquaint the reader with the perilous conditions that confronted Sam when he was brought into Texas in 1838 - a child of six years of age - I give you the following historical facts.

Mexico, including Texas, had long been a province of Spain. In 1822 Mexico severed her relations with Spain and became an independent Republic. Soon after Mexico won her liberty she made a deal with Moses Austin to settle three hundred American colonists in Texas, giving them vast acres of land.

Moses Austin died before filling his contract with Mexico, and on his death bed requested his son, Stephen F. Austin, to take over the deal and complete the contract, which Stephen did. Several other persons obtained similar contracts with Mexico. This colonization period began in 1822 and lasted until 1830. By that time about 40,000 Americans had become residents of Texas, but citizens of Mexico.

A breach between Mexico and her American colonists began in 1830 which led to war between them. Actual fighting began in 1835 and lasted until April 21, 1836. On that date the colonists, led by Gen. Sam Houston with 900 soldiers, met Gen. Santa Anna in battle with 3,000 Mexican soldiers. One of the most noted battles of all time took place - the Battle of San Jacinto. The Mexican army was practically all killed, wounded or captured.  Santa Anna himself was captured. While in captivity, Santa Anna ceded Texas to the colonists, and the colonists proceeded at once to organize a new nation, calling it The Republic of Texas. That was in 1836.

SOME HIGHLIGHTS

Father and son - one hundred nineteen years in Texas - 1838 to 1957.  Together they lived in Texas under the administration of every President of The Republic of Texas and every Governor of the State.

Father was living in Texas three years before the telegraph was invented and before a mile of railroad was built in the state. Father drove a herd of 900 longhorn Texas steers from Central Texas to Chicago in 1857 - a feat performed nine years before the famous Chisholm trail was blazed.

Father served a hectic four years in the Confederate army of the Civil War. He saw service from the prison walls of Columbus, Ohio for five months to the last battle of the Civil War at Brownsville, Texas in 1865.

This is the country that Joseph Bishop brought his family in 1838, when his son, Sam, was six years of age.

For many succeeding years this young republic was harassed by Mexican raids and by Indian depredations

PART I

Part one of this book deals with Sam’s residence in this new country for 81 years - 1838 to 1919. At first there were no schools, no churches and no civilization. Sam lived through political turmoil and confusion and observed the progress and development of Texas from its humble beginning to a high plane of civilization.

Sam Comes to Texas

Samuel W. Bishop was born April 24th, 1832, in the state of Tennessee.  His father, Joseph Bishop, a Baptist preacher, was a great admirer of Pres. Jackson and of Sam Houston, both of whom achieved political distinction in their native state of Tennessee.

Jackson became President of the United States and Sam Houston became congressman from Tennessee and later Governor of the state. Subsequently, Houston became interested in Texas’ revolution against Mexico and was named Commander-in-Chief of the Texas army. Under his leadership, Texas won her independence and a new nation came into existence - “The Republic of Texas.” Houston served as its first president for two years and as its third president for three years.

When Texas became one of the United States in 1845, Sam Houston was elected its first U. S. senator and later served Texas as Governor.  No man in this country has had a more turbulent, thrilling and successful career than Sam Houston.

Early in 1835, while the revolution between Texas and Mexico was at its height, Joseph Bishop decided to move to Texas and cast his fate with the Texans, then being led by Sam Houston in a war against Mexico which began in 1835 and ended with the Battle of San Jacinto, April 21st, 1836.

With Joseph Bishop as leader, some twelve to fifteen other families loaded their belongings into ox drawn wagons and departed from eastern Tennessee for Texas. When they reached the Red River, the border between Arkansas and Texas, they found not only the war with Mexico at its height, but also savage Indians were on a rampage in Texas. He and his traveling associates deemed it unsafe for the lives of their families to cross the Red River under these prevailing conditions, so they remained in Arkansas for three years.

Selects Head-right

Maribeau B. Lamar was elected President of the new Republic of Texas in 1838, and in his first message to congress, he recommended that a head-right of land, consisting of 640 acres, be offered to the heads of families who would come to Texas and live on the land. Texas’ congress enacted the law and when word reached Joseph Bishop and his waiting caravan on the east side of the Red River, they yoked their oxen, loaded their families, cooking utensils and household goods in their creaking wagons and crossed the Red River into Texas, near the present town of Paris. That was in the summer of 1838.

Each family proceeded to hunt for a suitable location for his head-right on which to establish a home. The whole country was open for settlers to occupy, yet it took time to select suitable land. These people were looking for home sites with timber, water and grass:  timber for firewood and protection to their stock in the winter; water for domestic purposes and especially for stock; and grass for cattle and horses the year ‘round.

Late in 1838 or early in 1839, Joseph Bishop selected his homestead in Hopkins County, near the present town of Sulphur Springs, then called Black Jack Grove. He did not live there long until continuous raids of thieving and murderous Indians, together with depredations by white men who were outlaws, became so prevalent that he concluded neither his family nor his property was safe. So, of necessity, he retreated to the east and acquired a temporary home in Titus County on the Red River, where he remained for two years.

During his residence in Titus County in 1839 and 1840, he arranged to preach on Sundays in several different communities. He always walked to his preaching appointments, though he had forty head of horses.  On one occasion, when the eleven o'clock hour came for the sermon, an number of pioneer families had assembled at the appointed place to hear the frontier preacher, but the preacher did not appear. The congregation patiently cast their eyes on the road over which he was expected to travel, but no preacher was to be seen. The crowd wondered what was wrong and many suggestions were made as to the cause of the delay. Knowing the country was infested with savage Indians and ferocious wild animals, they feared he had met with foul play from one of these sources.

At last, in the distance, they discovered a man walking in the direction of the crowd. It proved to be the preacher who was now one hour late.  Everyone was eager to find out what had detained him. He calmly apologized by stating that a bear had put him up a tree and stood by for nearly an hour, daring him to come down from his hastily procured perch.

Back Home

In the spring of 1841 he moved back to his homestead in Hopkins County.  A number of new families had moved into the neighborhood by this time and Indians were not so troublesome. Life and property seemed much safer than it did two years before when he was forced to retreat east.

Cattle rustling and horse stealing were the greatest menace to the citizenry of the frontier country at this time. May white men were thieves as well as all the Indians. There were no laws, no courts of justice, and no sheriffs to catch thieves and bring them to trial for punishment for their infringement upon the rights of good citizens.  Consequently, the citizens banded together to protect their property and their families. Each good citizen was on the lookout for thieves and outlaws. Each newcomer into the community was closely scrutinized and his demeanor carefully watched for days, weeks and months to ascertain his attitude as to honesty and good citizenship.

When a suspected thief was caught, the citizens of the community would come together, elect a foreman or judge, select a jury and hear the testimony, and then mete out justice as they saw it.

Sam at this time, (1841) was only nine years of age but he was permitted to witness a scene at Blackjack Grove that no boy of that tender age should ever be permitted to look upon. The citizens had caught a horse thief and proceeded to give him a trial before a jury of their own choice. The jury found him guilty and decreed that he should be hung.  A rope was placed around his neck; he was then forced to mount a horse and ride under a large limb of a tree. The rope was tied to the limb and the horse, when lashed, jumped from under the thief, leaving his body dangling in the air, his neck broken.

Such a deed as this, committed by good men, is barbarous, inhuman, and unjustifiable in this generation, but environment and conditions were such at that time that the people had to take the law into their own hands if they expected Texas to be settled by civilized people.  Conditions remained this way, to some extent, in many parts of Texas until long after the Civil War.

When Sam was twelve years of age he had never entered the door of a school room. There were no public schools in Texas at that time and but few private schools. A log house about sixteen feet square was erected in the community for a school house. A teacher was employed and each pupil had to pay tuition. Since there was practically no money in the country, the teacher was paid mostly by barter. Cows, yearlings, ponies, oxen, hobbles and rawhide lariats were the principal items with which to pay the teacher. However, it was understood that the teacher would go home with the children at night and thus have his board and lodging free.

Under these conditions Sam started to school to learn the three “R’s”:  Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmetic. After three long tiresome days in the schoolroom, Sam, like General Sam Houston, decided he had rather chase mustangs or corral cattle that go to school, so these three brief days ended his schoolroom education. However, he later learned to write a good hand, to spell better than the average person, and to make any mathematical calculation pertaining to practical business. He read books and newspapers as long as he lived. He loved to read and kept well posted on county, state and national affairs.

In this connection I wish to state that Sam told me that while they were living in Titus County in 1841 a man named McKinsey established a high school in the adjoining county of Lamar. It was called McKinsey College and was the first college established in the Republic of Texas.  It was a success. I will have more to say about McKinsey College later in my story.

Joseph Bishop remained on his head-right in Hopkins County until 1846 when he decided to hunt greener pastures and more agreeable environment.  He traded his six hundred forty acres of land for an ox wagon and two yoke of steers. A caravan of twelve or fifteen families gathered their possessions and started south with him. Each family had an ox wagon, some had one yoke of oxen, others two or more. Most of them had a few cows and horses. They were all thrown together and some of the men would drive the oxen drawing the wagons while others drove the cattle and horses. Joseph Bishop had forty horses in the herd and a few cattle.

They were now off for the south, moving at the rate of fifteen miles per day when traveling conditions were favorable. Many were the obstacles encountered in traveling across Texas in this manner in those early days. There were practically no roads, so horsemen rode ahead to select the best way to cross rivers, creeks and ravines. No bridges spanned even the larger streams, and it was certainly a daring feat to cross such rivers as the Trinity, Brazos, Colorado and may others not so large. Sometimes when they approached a river that was up, the caravan camped for days and weeks waiting for the waters to recede before crossing was possible. While waiting, they had to herd the cattle and horses to keep them from running away, and to prevent Indians and thieves from driving them off.

Then travelers depended largely on wild game for food. The hunters usually had no trouble in killing plenty of deer, turkeys and buffalo, so meat was the major portion of their food. The hides of deer and buffalo were carefully saved and used to make robes, lariats and bridle reins and strings.

A hard days work and much excitement lay ahead when the waters of a stream receded enough that they could ford it. Sometimes the caravan was two or three days crossing a stream. Horsemen crossed first, selecting the most practical route, then four to six yoke of steers were hitched to one wagon. Several horsemen, with bull whips in hand, rode beside the steers to guide them, prodding them continuously until the stream was crossed and the bank on the opposite side was ascended. The steers were then re-crossed and in a similar manner, drew another wagon across the stream. This procedure was continued until all wagons were brought across.

Sickness delayed travel occasionally.   Heavy rains softened the ground until the wagons sank into the mire and the travelers had to wait until the top of the ground dried before moving on. Traveling by this method in pioneer days was a slow process and tested the patience of every individual in the caravan, yet they were happy. Each day and hour brought new scenery for their entertainment.

Slowly the travelers made their way through Hopkins, Kaufman, Dallas, Ellis, Hill, McLennan and Bell Counties and finally reached Little River in eastern Bell County. There were no white settlements on that long journey. Major Bryant had recently established a plantation on Little River, and with his forty negro slaves, had opened a large farm in this rich virgin valley. His chief business was raising corn and feeding it to hogs. Here, the caravans stopped for a few days to rest their weary oxen and let the cattle and horses graze on the free but luxurious grass. The women took advantage of the stop to do the laundry.

Major Bryant had a beautiful daughter about the age of Sam and they formed a friendship that was never forgotten. Years later Sam rode horseback thirty-five miles to the Bryant home to renew this friendship with the family and to see the pretty Bryant girl. The beautiful daughter, Amanda, lived in the same neighborhood all her life and died at the age of over one hundred years.

Major Bryant had a son about Sam’s age called “Bud.” They became warm friends. They rode the range in Bell County together and chased mustang ponies over the broad prairies when there were no farms nor barbed wire fences to molest them.

In 1849 when the gold fever broke out in California, Bud Bryant asked Sam to go there with him to amass a fortune. Sam refused to go, so Bud went alone. He prospered in mining and later established a citrus orchard in California where he spent the rest of his long life.

In 1901, just 52 years after he left Bell County for California, Bud returned to visit relatives and also his friend Sam. It was a joy to see these two elderly men, stooped with age, their hair a silvery gray, reminiscing about pioneer days of a half century before. Things had changed. Bud went to California in a stage coach. He came back in a swell railroad passenger car.

When he left Bell County in 1849 there were but few settlers in the county. Now the country had been converted into farms fenced with barbed wire; railroads had crisscrossed the country; towns and villages had sprung up everywhere and schools and churches were numerous where none existed when he had last seen the country. What a transformation from a wilderness to a civilization within a half century.

After much trouble crossing Little River and climbing the steep banks on the south side, the caravan headed south in the direction of Austin, the capitol of the Republic of Texas. Austin, on the Colorado river, had been laid out for a city and for the capitol of Texas about five years prior to this date.

The second day after leaving Bryant’s Station on Little River, the day was foggy, a heavy mist was hovering over the ground. Two of the men rode off to kill a deer or other wild game for dinner. They left the wagons about nine o'clock, expecting to join them again by noon or before.

At noon the hunters had not returned so the caravan pitched camp and prepared dinner. They rang ox bells and beat tin pans and occasionally fired a gun to attract the attention of the lost men, but there was no response. When dinner was over, the wagons were packed and ready to start but they hesitated, waiting for the lost men. Their safety was doubtful for the caravan was still passing through Indian country.

At last, one of the lost men, hearing a gun shot, came into camp.  The two hunters had separated some two hours before and had lost their direction on account of the fog. At this juncture, four or five men mounted their horses and struck out to hunt the other lost man. Each carried a pistol and occasionally fired to attract the attention of the lost man if they came within range of his hearing. He was found late in the afternoon after he had wandered around for eight hours, tired and hungry.

The long hours of suspense and excitement were now over and after a nights rest the dozen wagons plodded on their journey, knowing not where they were going, nor when their journey would end.

In a few days they reached Austin, the capitol of Texas, situated on the north bank of the Colorado River, the second largest river in Texas. The river was low and a good road crossed it, so the caravan crossed to the south side and camped for the night at Barton Springs.  These springs were in their natural primitive state; not a tree had been cut; not a stone had been turned by human hands.

The march of civilization has wrought great changes in and around Austin during the 109 years that have lapsed since this caravan of wanderers passed that way. Austin is now a city of 150,000 population with a beautiful park at Barton Springs which furnishes a place for its populace to picnic, swim, dance and play. Then, it furnished a watering place for deer and buffalo to quench their thirst, and the huge trees supplied shade under which they peacefully lay down to rest unmolested by human beings, in young Texas.

From the beginning of the Texas Republic in 1836 to 1841, the capitol of Texas was pushed around from pillar to post, holding its congressional sessions at various places. The records of the Republic likewise were moved here and there five times before a permanent capitol was located at Austin. Several efforts were made to locate a permanent capitol but failed for various reasons.

During Houston's administration as President of the Republic he tried in vain to get a permanent capitol located at the town of Houston.

Maribeau B. Lamar succeeded Houston as President in 1839 to 1841.  He opposed the Houston site. He had a dream of extending the Republic west to the Pacific Ocean. He wanted the capitol located as far west as civilization would permit. Accordingly, in 1841 he appointed a commission of five men to search the country to the west for a suitable site and make a deal for its purchase.

This body of men rode off to the west in compliance with orders from Pres. Lamar. They scrutinized the border settlements from Bell County south to the Colorado River. Two sites were considered by them:  Salado and Austin.  They camped at Salado before going to Austin and it was suggested that Salado would be a good site for the capitol. Austin was chosen and it is not recorded that any of them voted for Salado, notwithstanding the fact that it has been rumored many times that Salado got two votes and Austin three.
This commission secured an option to buy 1,000 acres on the north side of the Colorado River for $20.00 per acre.

The Texas congress approved the deal and $20,000 in script was delivered to the owner. Thus Austin became the permanent Capitol of Texas in 1841.

Soon the party moved on. Their next stop was at the beautiful San Marcos Springs, also in its primitive state. Col. Ben McCulloch was camped there with a company of his Texas Rangers. The travelers decided to stop for a few days and look at the country - camping near the spring where clear water comes belching out from under the hills and rolls off down its channel - a river from the start.

To one who loves the beauties of nature, San Marcos, at that time, presented an ideal picture. To the south, east and west, as far as the eye could see, were rolling prairies, hills and vales covered with green grass knee high, and dotted here and there with clumps of Elm and Live Oak trees. Acres of bluebonnets and many other wild flowers dotted the prairies in every direction. In the spring the air was filled with sweet perfume form the flowers while mocking birds, red birds and turtle doves sang from every tree.

San Marcos River meandered off to the southeast and abounded with fish that no human had cast a hook to lure. There was an abundance of water the year ‘round to quench the thirst of all animal life that came that way. Just before night-fall, wild turkeys could be heard gobbling on the timbered hills to the north while numerous deer played and scam-pered in the valley below.

To the north were hills covered with evergreen cedar with an occasional Live Oak grove, which provided shelter for animal life in winter and shade in summer. It would seem that this was the Garden of Eden that this group of wanderers had been seeking. Here was unlimited quantities of grass, water and timber - the three things that a stock man most desired.

One man in the party, whose name I do not know, decided to stop there and establish a home. His companions agreed that if he was determined to locate there they would help him build a log house. Accordingly, the next day all the men and boys in the party went to work at the job. Some would cut logs, some drag them to the house site, some hew them, while other placed them in proper position in the building.  In about ten days the house was finished and the family moved into a new home and thus ended their travels. That was the first house to be erected in San Marcos.

The house was built in the early summer of 1846, and Sam was fourteen years of age. He participated in the work of building this house by dragging the logs out of the forest to the building site with a yoke of steers and a log chain.

After this family was settled in their new home the remainder of the caravan took their departure and turned to the east. Two days later these families stopped at Lockhart, in Caldwell County, where most of them, including Joseph Bishop, established homes.

Very soon after locating at Lockhart, one Col. Roberts, closely related to Joseph Bishop, came to the camp and spent the night. He was on his way to join Gen. Taylor's army which was then at Corpus Christi and headed for Mexico to conquer that republic. War had been declared by the United States against Mexico. The Colonel and Joseph Bishop sat up late that night discussing the war in all its angles. Finally Col. Roberts suggested that he would like to take Sam along with him as a courier to carry messages between officers.

Although Sam was only fourteen years of age he had been raised on a horse, and the Colonel thought he would be an ideal helper. Sam was very enthusiastic about the whole thing and gained his father's consent to go along to become a soldier boy.

Col. Roberts planned to leave the next day in order to reach General Taylor's army before it left Corpus Christi en route to Brownsville.  However, to their great chagrin, it was found next morning that Joseph Bishop's forty head of horses had broken out of  the quickly improvised corral and were gone. It was Sam’s job to find and corral these horses.  The Colonel stayed over a day to wait for Sam to bring back the horses, but the horses could not be found and the Colonel went on to Corpus Christi without him. It took two weeks for Sam to find all the horses and put them back into the corral, and of course, it was too late then to find Col. Roberts. Sam was a disappointed boy because the stray horses caused him to forfeit the opportunity to become a soldier to fight in the war against Mexico in 1846.

So it is through all the journey of life. We are creatures of circumstances.  Events like this, apparently of small moment, may change the entire destiny of one's life and bar the achievement of fame or fortune.  At least this act of fate deprived Sam of the opportunity to be a soldier in Gen. Zachary Taylor's famous army in the War of 1846-48 between the United States and Mexico.

Joseph Bishop and his family remained in Caldwell County, near Lockhart, for two years, living a quiet and comparatively uneventful life. During this period Sam and his father drove a wagon loaded with cow hides to San Antonio. San Antonio, in 1847, was a small town, but one of the present landmarks, the Buckhorn Saloon was there then. Seventy-one years later in 1918, Sam revisited this historical city to marvel at the growth and development of civilization which time had wrought.

In 1848 Joseph Bishop and his family moved again. This time they located in Williamson County, where the town of Granger is now situated. This was the year that Williamson County was organized, and Georgetown was selected as the county seat. Joseph Bishop located his new home near the beautiful San Gabriel River, many miles from any other settlement.  The rolling prairie for miles and miles around was covered with native grass waist high, and buffalo, antelope, deer, turkeys, wild horses and wild longhorn cattle could be seen daily satisfying their appetites on this luxurious grass.

The black waxy soil was as rich as Texas affords. An abundance of lasting water was supplied by meandering streams here and there flowing eastward across the country. These streams were bordered with Pecan, Oak and Elm trees; good shade for beasts in summer and a windbreak in winter for the stock, also firewood for the settlers. However, wanderlust and the prospects of still greener pastures had not yet worn themselves out in Joseph Bishop, and after one year he moved again.

This time Joseph Bishop moved north to the adjacent county of Bell, it was in 1849 that he camped for the first time on Nolan Creek, about where the town of Belton, the county seat, was later established.  Bell County had not been organized at this time. Joseph Bishop was offered the land where Belton now stands for seventy-five cents per acre, but he considered this too high.

The next day he moved on to the Leon River about twelve miles farther north, and pitched camp at a spring on its bank where a village was later established call Moffatt. This town was named for Dr. Moffatt, who was the first doctor to establish practice in that section of the country. The writer has heard his father say that Dr. Moffatt carried his medicines in his vest pocket for years. Here, Joseph Bishop camped for three months while he searched for a location for a permanent home.

His camp at Moffatt was farther west than any other settler on the Leon River. The county to the west was occupied by Indians and to the east by a few scattered white settlements. In a day or two a big Indian walked up close to the tent and surveyed carefully his new white neighbors. Old Bull, the faithful dog, with bristles raised and crouching close to the ground, wanted to take the Indian, but for fear that there were many more nearby, the dog was restrained.  The Indian merely stood and looked, saying not a word, then walked away unmolested. Of course he had companions nearby. If Bull had not been restrained a historical Indian battle would have occurred.

Pens were built of cedar rails to hold the milk cows and their calves.  The cows were kept in the pen at night and the calves allowed to graze, and after the cows were milked in the morning, they were turned out to eat grass. Sometimes the cows would not come home before night and it became necessary for someone to hunt them and drive them in.  This of course was Sam’s job.

One evening Sam was out about a mile from home on the edge of prairie, afoot, looking for the cows. All of a sudden he discovered a wild bull, head and tail in air, coming at him full speed. There was a huge live oak tree nearby with a large limb some six feet above the ground and parallel to the earth. Sam made a dash for this limb, jumped and grabbed it, lifted his body up and the bull dashed under him, never stopping, but disappeared in the distance.

Sam shouldered his rifle one day, called to Bull and started for a deer hunt. Bull was trained to walk close behind his master while hunting, but when the gun fired Bull made a dash for the game and nothing could stop him. Sam soon sighted a large buck with huge antlers.  He fired at the buck and slightly wounded it. In an instant Bull had the buck by the nose and a rapid and exciting fight ensued. Sam kept his position, rapidly reloading his cap and ball rifle. In the meantime, the buck would sling Bull into the air and then try to pen him to the ground with his horns. Finally the buck succeeded in pinning Bull down between his horns but Bull never loosened his hold on the buck's nose. While the two ferocious animals were in that position Sam fired another shot which hit the buck in a vital spot and that ended the combat.

There were plenty of wild Mexican hogs in the hills nearby called Javalinas. These animals have long sharp tusks and when attacked are very fierce and dangerous. Sam and Bull jumped a bunch and chased them into a cave. They would all lie down except one, which stood guard at the entrance to the cave and fought away the dog. Sam shot and killed the one that stood guard, but immediately another would take his place. He stood in one place and shot the guards, one at a time, until he killed the entire drove. This was one of the sports Sam was privileged to enjoy in primitive Texas that no one in modern times can ever know.

Several streams empty into the Leon River near the spot where Sam’s father first camped on the Leon. Among them the Cowhouse and Bull Branch. Near the mouth of the Cowhouse and extending up stream for several miles on either side are high bluffs and caves. Many wild cattle would take shelter behind these bluffs from the cold northers of winter. Thus the stream took its name, Cowhouse. Bull Branch is a small stream only a few miles in length.

A man by the name of Potter was bear hunting near the head of this branch when a wild bull rushed at him and overtook him before he could climb a tree. The bull gored him to death. Thereafter the branch was known as Bull Branch. Nearby and running parallel to Bull Branch is a smaller stream called Heifer Hollow. It was within one mile of this place that the writer was reared from infancy to manhood.

After remaining in camp at Moffatt a few months, Joseph Bishop was pre-empted 320 acres of land about ten miles farther north on Stampede Creek. It was an ideal selection for a home, situated on a stream of lasting water, with a grove of oak trees for a building site. There was timber nearby and rich prairie land for miles around. This prairie was Sam’s favorite spot for chasing wild horses. In this home, near the northwest corner of Bell County and not far form Coryell and McLennon Counties, Joseph Bishop lived until his death in 1856.

When Joseph Bishop moved to his new home on Stampede Creek in the fall of 1849 wild animals were his neighbors. Mustang horses in great droves; numerous buffalo; hundreds of wild long horned Texas cattle, and antelope by the hundreds could be seen daily grazing on the prairie nearby. Deer, turkeys and prairie chicks were also numerous. It was Sam’s daily pleasure to hunt and slay these animals for sport and for the meat and hides.

Many of my readers have never seen a prairie chicken. They are very much like our tame chickens but smaller and brown in color. They are as delicious as our domestic fowls. They were numerous on the prairies of central Texas in pioneer days.

About ten to fifteen miles to the southwest of Joseph's prairie home along the divide between the Leon and Cowhouse rivers, there was a dense cedar brake. This brake covered a territory some five miles wide and fifteen miles long. The trees produce berries rich in protein which ripen late in the fall and hang on the trees all winter.

Thousands of robin redbreasts were attracted to this brake during the fall and winter for food. They got very fat and made a most delicious and palatable dish when fried or made into pies. These birds had a special place to roost in scrubby cedars in a space about one mile square. They all roosted there every night. People for miles around would congregate there at night. Men with torches in hand would catch and kill birds while the women fried them.

At intervals crowds would assemble around the camp fire and feast on fried robins. Many birds were taken home and the next day another feast was enjoyed eating bird pies.

Wild pigeons were also numerous in those pioneer days. Pigeons preferred to roost on the limbs of dead trees. Men would sneak up near them after dark and kill many with a shot gun. Pigeons also made a very palatable dish.

There was a very beautiful Mustang mare in herd that ranged nearby and everyone who saw her was anxious to throw a lariat around her neck and thus acquire possession of her. Several men, all with good horses and lariats, decided to chase her by relays one at a time until they could get close enough to throw the noose round her neck. After chasing the animal in this manner for many miles, until it was exhausted from the long and continuous chase, it ran to the South Bosque River near where the town of McGregor is now located, and leaped into the stream. She sank into the soft mud, lowered her head into the water and died without a struggle. Sam’s statement was: “The animal committed suicide.”

There was a fine stallion in the herd of horses that had been chased many times but no one could ever get near him. This fact made him the more to be desired. He had proven himself to be fleet of foot and long winded.

About twelve to fifteen men agreed on a certain day to catch that wiry and spirited stallion. They arranged to run him by relays. One would chase him full speed for two or three miles when another would fall in after him on a fresh horse. They kept this up from about nine o'clock in the morning until late in the evening, when Sam and another man ran up beside him, one on each side, and each threw his lariat around the animal's neck about the same time. They then threw him to the ground and tied all his feet together and left him there for the night. They estimated that they had chased the horse ninety miles before capturing him.

The next day the men came back to see the horse saddled and to see Sam ride him. When they returned to the horse they found that he had managed to release one foot. With three feet tied together he got up and eluded the lariat for some time. At last he was bridled and saddled and then unshackled and made ready for Sam to mount. You can imagine the excitement that prevailed. Everyone present was wondering if Sam had the nerve to leap astride this bronco - this wild beauty of the prairie - and if he did would he be able to ride him, or would he be thrown sky high and fall to the ground.

While all the spectators stood breathless Sam leaped into the saddle and the steed was released on the open prairie. He bucked, he bawled, he ran, but Sam stuck to that saddle as if he were glued there. Soon the horse gave out and the fun was all over.

About this same time Sam was riding the range one day looking for cattle or horses or both, and while out on a smooth prairie and far from any timber, a large wolf jumped up near him. Sam had his pistol but thought it would be fun to run on to the wolf, and instead of shooting, to whip it with his cow whip. After chasing it a mile or so he overtook the animal and with the cracker of his whip he struck him across the nose. The wolf fell dead. Sports such as above enumerated have passed into history. The march of civilization has removed them all forever. Present day generation can never experience the joy and thrills they brought to Texas pioneers.

There were but few settlers in the country and the nearest neighbors were from three to five miles away. It was not long however until immigrants from other states began to come to Texas and acquire free land. The homestead laws were very liberal. A man with a family could preempt 320 acres and single man 160 acres of land. If a person had a home site that was all he needed to operate a huge ranch. Most of the land around him was state land and if not it made little difference because there was no barbed wire, and to fence a large acreage on the prairie without wire was not at all practical. Consequently all stock ran loose and grazed upon everyone's land. The mark and brand of the cattle indicated to whom they belonged.

As previously stated, it was the year 1849 that Joseph Bishop settled on Stampede Creek. Sam was then seventeen years of age. He was an expert with the lariat and could ride anything on the range.

At this time there were many Mustangs, or wild horses, ranging on the prairie near his home. It was the chief sport of boys and men to chase them and throw a lariat on one and then saddle it and watch Sam ride it. It mattered not how high he pitched, Sam always stayed in the saddle. The horse would become the property of the person who roped it.

When another person would rope a wild horse, they frequently gave Sam $1.00 to ride it. Occasionally a gentle saddle would break loose and get with a bunch of Mustangs. Then the tame horse was as hard to catch as a wild one.

In April 1850 a legal election was called to select five commissioners, whose duty it would be to survey and locate the boundary lines of Bell county and also to locate the county seat.

Only one voting place was designated for the voters of the entire county, and that was on the east bank of Leon River about one mile from the present town of Belton. Sam and his father rode horseback twenty miles from the northern section of the county to be at the election. Sam’s father voted, but Sam, being only eighteen, could not vote. Sixty votes were cast - all the town could summon.

Mr. Josiah Hart, a brother-in-law of Joseph Bishop, Sam’s uncle was elected one of the five commissioners.
The commissioners proceeded at once, with a competent surveyor, to locate the boundary lines. They also located the county seat on Nolan Creek and named it Nolanville. The name was later changed to Belton.
In the following month of August 1850 another election was held to select county officials.

Sam lived in the county to see the voting strength grow from 60 to 8,000 and the population increase from 300 to 65,000.

Just sixty years after this first election, George W. Tyler was preparing a manuscript for a history of Bell County and in casual conversation with Sam, his life long friend, George learned from him the exact spot where the first election was held. It was one and one half miles east of Belton. George was delighted to learn about the exact location of this first election.

Sam and George Tyler, in company with several other pioneers of Bell County visited the tree, took measurements and pictures of it, and Sam made an affidavit as to the identity of the place and the tree which the first election was held.

In his history of Bell County, George had a picture of the tree and designated it “The Charter Oak of Bell County.” The affidavit pertaining to the Charter Oak made by Sam was spread on the minutes of the Commissioners Court of Bell County, and was instrumental in procuring a state marker, or monument, for the “Charter Oak of Bell County.” This marker now stands beside the highway leading from Belton to Temple just east of the Leon River.

Except for this casual conversation between Sam and the historian this bit of history would have been lost.

Another small incident wrought a material change in Sam’s life. While he was yoking the oxen to go to the cedar brake for firewood his stepmother interfered and bade him turn the oxen loose. Sam refused to obey and harsh words, probably an altercation, took place between them. As a result Sam saddled his horse and left home. He rode off to the west but found no homes at which to stop. The west was populated then only with wild animals and Indians. However, at a distance of thirty miles, he came to Fort Gates, now Gatesville. Government soldiers were stationed there to fight back marauding Indians and outlaws.

At Fort Gates, a man by the name of O.T. Tyler was employed by the government to cut, cure and rick prairie hay for the army horses.  Mr. Tyler hired Sam to help make hay. His wages were $1.00 per day.  He worked twenty three days and was paid in gold coin - four five dollar gold pieces and three one dollar gold pieces. This was the first money Sam had ever received for wages and certainly he was very proud of his earnings.

Next day he was looking at his gold coins and dropped some of the precious pieces in the grass. The dollar pieces were so small that he could not find them for quite a while. After that terrible scare he never took a chance again to lose the first money he had ever earned.  This was in the fall of the year 1850 and Sam was eighteen years of age.

While he was working there a baby boy was born to the Tylers. He was the first white child born in Coryell County and was named George W. Tyler. The Tylers later moved to Salado in Bell County and O.T.  Tyler became prominent as one of the organizers of Salado College.

George Tyler grew to manhood at Salado; was given a splendid education and for half a century was one of the leading lawyers of Bell County and an outstanding citizen and historian.

In the early fall of 1850 a man named John Beck, whose wife was a cousin of Sam’s, came to Fort Gates. He had procured a contract from the government to furnish beef to feed three hundred Indians located at Fort McKavitt on the head waters of the San Saba River. Mr. Beck bought five hundred steers near Fort Gates and hired Sam to help drive them to Fort McKavitt. The journey was more than one hundred and fifty miles through a wild and unsettled country. They traveled from Fort Gates by way of Fort Crogan, now the town of Burnett; then west to Fort Mason and farther west to Fort McKavitt. Here the starving Indians were waiting to be fed.

Sam remained at Fort McKavitt for a year. Each day he would shoot a beef with his pistol and three hundred hungry Indians would devour it. They ate everything except the hide, hair and bones. The part most relished by the savages was the liver. They would cut off a piece of liver and dip it in the blood and eat it raw. The intestines were also a favorite part of the beef. They would cut it into pieces about three feet long, give it a sling to empty it of its contents and proceed to eat the intestines raw.

This was quite an experience for a boy of only eighteen years - to be isolated from all civilization and live for a year with only soldiers and Indians. However, fate had deprived Sam of much association with people, as he had been moved around from place to place on the frontier all his life.

The daily routine at Fort McKavitt soon grew quite monotonous to Sam.  He tired of his daily companions of soldiers and Indians. He longed for new faces and wondered about his friends back home in Bell County from whom there were no letters. At the end of a year his contract with Mr. Beck was up so he decided to return home and join his family and the friends and associates he had left a year before.

It was quite an undertaking to traverse this more than one hundred fifty miles horseback and alone in an Indian infested country with no homes in which to take shelter at night. He made the hazardous trip in four days alone without any trouble. He was met by his family at their home on Stampede Creek with open arms. The prodigal son had returned and all were happily reunited.

Before leaving for the west to feed Indians, Sam had courted a beautiful girl named Emily Meadows. Their love was mutual and they had agreed to marry sometime in the future. Her parents ranked high in the community and Emily was a favorite with all who knew her.

When Sam returned from the west where he had been living lonely for a year, and as soon as he had greeted his immediate family, it was uppermost in his mind to see Emily and set the date for their wedding.  Emily lived some distance away. Sam put on his best clothes, mounted his horse and rode away to see the girl he loved but had not seen for more than a year. As he journeyed alone on the five mile trip he had ample opportunity to contemplate the future. He thought of the thrill of seeing Emily again and wondered if she was as pretty as when he saw her last. He wondered if she would set the date soon.  He thought of the responsibility of marriage and wondered if he could assume and carry out those duties in a manner that would meet Emily's approval and make her happy. As he rode along he thought of all this and more. His mind was reveling in love, in hope for future happiness when he would tread the uncertain path of life hand in hand and side by side with a lifetime companion.

In this happy state of mind when within three miles of his destination he met an old negro who belonged to the Meadows family and stopped to talk. Sam asked: “How is Emily?” “Oh, ain’t you heard? Miss Emily is done dead. We buried her three days ago. She done took sick and died very sudden.” This news struck Sam like a thunderbolt from the sky. He reigned his horse around and rode back in the direction whence he came. He rode back over the same road he had just traveled when his heart beat with joy and ecstasy.  Now he was broken-hearted, disappointed, dejected of spirit and all his hopes for future happiness were blasted. 

Who of mature years has not had heart aches or their lives made sad by disappointed love? Some pine and die; some give way to their grief and go through life unhappy. Sam took a different attitude and made himself recover from his grief to take his place in life as if nothing had happened.

There were no railroads nearer than a hundred miles of Bell County at that time. Freighting with ox teams and wagons from ports on the Gulf of Mexico 500 miles away became a prosperous business. All kinds of supplies were hauled from Port Lavaca and Indianola, two of Texas’ best seaports at that time.

Four to six yokes of steer would be hitched to a wagon and frequently a trailer wagon tied behind it. Usually two or more freighters would go together to assist each other in case of a breakdown, and in this manner the 500 mile trip and return would be made in safety.

These heavily loaded wagons with slow ox teams would plod along at the rate of three miles per hour, while the driver walked beside the left wheel with whip in hand. Occasionally he would pop the whip in the air and make a noise like the firing of a pistol. This sudden noise quickened the speed of the lazy oxen. If not, the next pop would make the hair fly from the body of the weary steer.

Figuring an average of fifteen miles a day it required about sixty days to make a round trip. Joseph Bishop engaged in this business and Sam made several trips with his father to Port Lavaca. It was on one of these freighting trips to Port Lavaca in 1856 that Joseph Bishop, being exposed to a cold wet norther, took pneumonia and died in a very short time. Other teamsters buried him there on the lone prairie. His resting place was never marked and until this day no one knows the location of his grave. Thus time passed away and soon forgotten was one of Texas’ earliest settlers who was a leader in paving the way for civilization in this great state.

In 1853 Sam was twenty-one years of age and he decided to turn his attention to acquiring cattle and horses of his own. He combined business with pleasure by riding and breaking “broncos” for himself and for the public. One dollar a day to ride a wild horse was considered good money. He usually rode the horse three days and then turned him over to his owner sufficiently gentled for his “tenderfoot” master to handle. Sam had a few cattle on the range, and while breaking wild horses, he was also looking after his cattle, marking and branding the calves, etc.

Several of Sam’s neighbors made a trip up the trail to Kansas City driving cattle to market. As they were returning home on one occasion in the Indian Territory they found an Indian pony that had been spoiled.  The Indians said that none of them could ride it. One man suggested that Sam could ride him. Another suggested that they buy the pony and drive it home with them just for the fun of seeing Sam ride it.  This idea met with the favor of all these Texas cowboys and quickly a deal was made and the pony was bought for $10.00.

Immediately after they arrived home Sam was notified as to what had been done and was asked if he would undertake to ride the pony. His answer very promptly was “yes.” The time was fixed and everyone for fifteen miles around was notified.

At the appointed hour, like people of this modern age going to a rodeo, a large crowd gathered to see the fun. Carefully the horse was saddled, the girths drawn to the proper tension and everything made ready for Sam’s exhibition. Sam donned his leather leggings and his long roweled spurs. When all was ready for a spill on the grassy prairie Sam placed his left foot in the stirrup and quickly mounted into the saddle. 

Breathlessly the excited crowd watched but the outlaw walked off as calmly and as quietly as any well mannered saddle horse. Imagine the chagrin of these boys who had paid their money for the horse, driven him several hundred miles, advertised the show only to meet with complete disappointment.

It was round up time for the cattle men. Sam was to ride the supposed outlaw horse on the two or three weeks trip. The men were all to meet at a designated place about three miles from Sam’s house.

Bright and early the next day Sam saddled the paint, mounted into the saddle and rode peacefully away to meet his comrade cowboys. He had gone about a mile, during which time the horse performed with perfect satisfaction, when suddenly without cause or provocation, this pony leaped into the air and hit the ground bucking. Then just as suddenly he began whirling around and around. This unexpected antic caused Sam to lose his seat in the saddle, but he caught a spur in the rigging of the saddle and grabbed the horn with one hand and swung on while the other hand was dragging the ground as the pony continued to go around in a circle. Upon apparently tiring of this circular motion, the horse stopped perfectly still. Sam attempted to pull himself into the saddle but when he let go his hold with the spur, the pony saw his chance and into the air he leaped again, this time throwing Sam to the ground. Sam was left afoot a mile from home and the ten dollar pony with bridle and forty dollar saddle ran off on the open prairie.

The Cowboys waited patiently for Sam to come, but finally two of them rode out to meet him. They soon found the cause of the delay and proceeded to rope the outlaw and lead him back to Sam. Angered by this antic of the horse which had dislodged him from the saddle, Sam pounced upon his back again and now being wise to his tricks, the horse could not extricate him again. After he had ridden the horse two or three weeks on this round up it was perfectly gentle and never pitched again.

Every normal person reaching the age of twenty-one has experienced that throbbing of the heart we call “love.” Sam was no exception to this characteristic of nature. He made a few visits to Bryant’s Station to see Amanda Bryant whom he met when the caravan rested there in 1846, but there was a lack of mutual affection between Amanda and himself, and his visits resulted only in lifelong friendship for her and her family.

Sam courted another girl who lived at Coryell City, Coryell County, but this girl had another suitor named Billy Hartin. Billy was infatuated with the girl and after weeks of friendly contest for her hand, Sam withdrew and Billy married her.

Sam and Billy didn't meet again for nearly forty years. Then the occasion of their meeting was a strange coincidence. The writer, Sam’s youngest son, was engaged to be married to Rosa Hartin. When the writer revealed this fact to his father, Sam inquired if she was related to Billy Hartin. The answer was: “Yes, Billy is her uncle.” Then for the first time Sam told his son of the rivalry between himself and Billy for the hand or the pretty girl nearly forty years before. On the occasion of the wedding these elderly men met for the first time in forty-four years and jocularly recounted their friendly courtship of younger days, one the victor, the other the vanquished.

Gradually families from the north and east moved into this country, and in 1854 James Clements moved from Cass County, in east Texas, to Perry Hills now Moody, Texas. He settled a home near the line of Bell and McLellan Counties, but in McLellan.

In his family were two grown boys, Bud and Adam, and two grown girls, Delilah and Martha. This family was quite an addition to the social activities of the community. Sam began to make frequent visits to this home and paid special attention to Delilah, the older girl. Their casual acquaintance soon grew to friendship and ultimately resulted in undying love.

In 1856 at Perry Hills in the home of James Clements, Sam and Delilah were united in marriage. They trod the uneven paths of life together for forty-four years, when Delilah departed from this life, leaving behind her a husband, a daughter and two sons.

Gov. Pat Neff
In 1854 Pat Neff, Sr., the father of ex-governor Neff, had taken a bride at his home in Illinois. The young couple left their native state immediately and spent their honeymoon in transit to Texas. They pre-empted a home consisting of 320 acres in Coryell County and thus became neighbors of Sam and Delilah. Their homes were only three miles apart. Ex-governor Neff was born and reared to manhood in this house; was educated at Baylor University in Waco. He served four years as governor of Texas and later became president of Baylor College, one of the greatest educational institutions in Texas.

The Neff home thus acquired remained their home throughout the entire lifetime of Pat Neff, Sr. In recent years it was donated by the Neffs to the State of Texas to be used as a State Park. For about fifteen years it has been maintained by the state as a public park, and citizens in and out of Texas are attracted there for its scenic beauty and its novel history.

Gov. James E. Ferguson
The Reverend James E. Ferguson, father of ex-governor James E. Ferguson, settled in Bell County in the ‘50’s and lived in the county continuously until his death. Rev. James E. Ferguson was one of the very earliest Methodist preachers in Texas. He came to Texas in 1835 before Texas was even a Republic. His sermons were among the first ever preached in Texas. He was an early circuit rider of the Methodist church and was noted for carrying a Bible in one side of his saddle-bags and a pistol in the other. He predicted when his son, Jim, was a child that Jim would some day be governor of Texas. The prediction came true but the father never lived to witness his inauguration.

James E. Ferguson, Jr. Elected Governor
Jas. E. Ferguson, Jr. announced for governor and promulgated an unique and attractive platform. Tenant farmers were being oppressed in those days by landlords. In addition to the customary one third and one fourth share crop, many landlords would require an additional bonus of $100.00 or more from the tenant.
Ferguson opposed that vehemently and offered a remedy.

Rural schools were not able to finance a nine months school term.  A three month to six month term was the average. At the same time, town and city schools were maintaining nine months terms. Ferguson opposed this discrimination.

He had several other planks equally as attractive in his platform.

Ferguson was elected. His first two year term moved smoothly and he was re-elected.

Early in his second term the legislature passed an appropriation bill providing for a huge sum for the State University. Ferguson vetoed a part of that appropriation on the grounds of discrimination between the University and the rural schools which were provided no aid at all. That veto act caused a great protest by the faculty and students.  They paraded the streets of Austin showing their contempt for the governor for vetoing the bill.

Enemies of the governor got together and preferred twenty-one indictments for impeachment of the governor. Through much turmoil and anger the senate tried the charges. The senate sustained only three of the indictments and thus impeached the governor.

The governor was angry and announced he would take it to the people in the next election. That scared the legislators so they immediately passed a law that any impeached officer could never hold office again.  Then Ferguson counseled with his friends. They agreed to run Mrs. Ferguson for governor, which they did. A heated campaign followed.  Ferguson appealed eloquently for the election of his wife. He said that would give Texas two governors for the price of one - said he could tote in the wood and kindle the fire while Ma did the work.  Ma was elected, being the first woman ever elected governor of a State.

Ma Ferguson served two years and was defeated for a second term. At the expiration of two years she ran again and was elected. Thus both Jim and Ma were elected twice governor of Texas.

Gov. Miriam A. Ferguson
Joe Wallace, the father of ex-governor Miriam A. Ferguson, was also an early settler in Bell County. Joe Wallace ranked high as a citizen and as a stockman and farmer. He acquired a large acreage of the very finest land in Bell County when land was cheap. Joe Wallace had the distinction of being the father of the first woman governor in the United States.

Sam had the good fortune and distinction of being neighbor, associate and friend for years to the parents of these three distinguished governors of Texas.

Sam, now married and feeling the responsibility of a family, began to bend his energies to acquire property. He preempted 320 acres of land on the open high prairie near the present town of Moody, and established a home on it. This was all the land needed to establish a stock ranch, for the entire country was an open range. As in the days when his father pre-empted land, there was no barbed wire with which to fence land; it would have been an unreasonable task to attempt to fence with rails, except for corrals and small patches for corn.  Accordingly everybody's stock ranged on everybody's land. There was but little inducement to acquire much land, even though it could be bought for from fifty cents to one dollar per acre. Very few people in Texas in the ‘50’s could realize that this rich black prairie land would some day be valuable for farming. Sam’s herd of cattle soon grew to one hundred head or more and he owned thirty or forty horses.
 

An Urge to the Trail

In 1857 a neighbor by the name of Stubblefield approached Sam and told him he was going to drive a herd of cattle to the northern market.  He wanted Sam to go with him as foreman of the herd and offered him $40.00 per month to make the round trip. He would also furnish horses for Sam to ride, and board him. It meant a long hard trip and but few nights under the shelter of a house. However, forty dollars per month was by far the largest salary he had ever been offered, and after consulting with Delilah, he decided to accept the offer. Preparation now must be made for the long journey up the trail to market and return. Kansas City was the prospective goal.

Nine hundred Longhorn Texas steers four years old and up had been procured by Mr. Stubblefield. They were in small bunches, scattered here and there in the vicinity.

Now a search must be made to procure ten hands to man the herd. Hands were scarce because the country was sparsely settled; however, the required number was soon secured. They began at once to assemble the cattle together at a control point. Two men were assigned the job of holding the herd together, while others drove the small bunches to it. It took several days to complete the task. Remember there were no fences in those days in Texas, so the herd had to be herded night and day by cowboys to keep the cattle from escaping. Then provision must be made for camping equipment and transportation. No wagons were available at that time so pack horses were used instead. A supply of blankets, cooking utensils and extra clothing for the men and a supply of food were procured and the necessary pack horses designated.  Two men were assigned the job of handling all the equipment and looking after the pack horses and doing the cooking.

The cowboys started from the present town of Moody, Texas about April 1st, 1857 with 900 longhorn Texas steers ranging in age from four to seven years.

When Sam bade good bye to Delilah and rode away he expected to be gone four or five months; instead he was gone seven months.

He and his cowboys headed to the north in the direction of Kansas City to blaze a new route to the markets of the east for Texas cattle.

It has been told and written many times that Chisholm blazed the first trail from Texas to the north with cattle, but that is a mistake.  Mr. Stubblefield, with Sam as foreman of the herd, blazed the way with this herd in 1857.

Mr. Chisholm made his first trip nine years later in 1866. However, Mr. Chisholm made many trips over this trail while Stubblefield made only one. Hence the credit was accorded to Chisholm.

The herd moved out slowly. Cattle are slow animals and when a great number are thrown together they make poor time. Besides it was necessary for them to have time each day to eat grass for no one thought of feeding a herd on the trail in those days. Then too it took considerable time to cross the streams; most of them had to be forded as there were very few bridges to span them. Occasionally they came to a toll bridge and the proprietor refused to let the cattle cross on it for fear of breaking it down. Sometimes the water was too deep to wade and then the cattle had to swim. Twelve to fifteen miles per day was the average distance by this herd.

Nothing unusual happened until the herd had reached the vicinity of Fort Worth. Fort Worth at that time consisted of a blacksmith shop, two or three stores and saloon. Shortly after passing through this little village they pitched camp and bedded their cattle down for the night. In the distant northwest a dark cloud was slowly approaching.  As it came nearer brilliant flashes of lightning illuminated the sky and mournful rolling thunder could be heard.

All hands were called out and told to ride slowly around the herd to prevent a stampede if possible. The cloud came nearer and soon rain began to fall in torrents. Lightning continued to flash and to flit from horn to horn among the cattle. It was now evident that a stampede was likely to take place any moment. As the cowboys rode slowly around the herd they sang a mournful song to attract the attention of the cattle and keep them quiet. Jingling bells swinging from the spurs of the cowboys also had a tendency to keep the cattle calm. Suddenly about midnight a bright flash of lightning was followed quickly by a keen clap of thunder. Nine hundred steers at the same instant dashed into the darkness of the night. The rumbling of their feet splashing in the mud was as deafening as the thunder in the elements.

Sam dashed out ahead of the stampeding cattle but he did not go far in the darkness until his pony plunged into a gully which was filled with water. Huge steers began plunging in around him but the sure-footed horse climbed out ahead and on they went. Sam managed to keep ahead of the cattle but soon plunged into another gully. Again the horse with rider climbed to the bank and continued in the lead of the stampeding herd. Sam now began to circle, the cattle following him, and soon he had them milling in a small circle and succeeded in stopping the entire herd. Then looking around he discovered that he was the only cowboy near the herd. The others did not care to endanger their lives by riding in front of these stampeding cattle in the darkness and the rain.

Soon there came another clap of thunder and away the cattle went again.  This time Sam made no attempt to stop them. Instead he crawled into a thicket after staking his horse, and with his saddle for a pillow and a wet blanket for a bed, he retired for a few hours rest before the dawn of another day.

Next morning the clouds were gone and the sun rose clear in the east, but Sam remained in his hidden bed in the thicket for several hours while the balance of the cowboys searched everywhere for him and the stampeded cattle. It was several hours before they found Sam, and in the meantime there was much excitement for fear he had been trampled to death by the fleeing cattle. The cattle were now rounded up and a count made. Forty were missing.

The main herd was started on while two men were left to hunt the forty missing steers. They searched for two weeks but never found a steer.  The cattle were probably rushed away by Indians or professional rustlers.  The loss of these steers amounted to about $1,600.00 - quite a discouraging incident at the beginning of their long journey.

The destination of this herd had not yet been decided. Their objective was Kansas City for sure, and if market conditions were not satisfactory they would proceed to Chicago.

One of the greatest obstacles in the way of progress was crossing rivers with the herd. Between Ft. Worth and Kansas City on the direct route were many large rivers, such as the Red River, the Arkansas, the Canadian and many smaller ones. Usually a ferry boat could be used for crossing the larger rivers but never a bridge. There was neither bridge nor ferry across the Red River so it had to be forded, not only with the herd, but also with the pack horses. In crossing this stream they encountered quicksand and bog holes. It was with much difficulty and danger to property and life that this stream was crossed but they succeeded without the loss of a single steer.

Nothing exciting or unexpected took place from the time the herd crossed the Red River until they reached Kansas City, except for a few encounters with Indians while passing through the Indian Territory. Sam gave the hungry Indians three or four beeves, which satisfied the Indians and they permitted the cowboys to pass through their territory without further molestations.

For weeks before the herd arrived at Kansas City the citizens had learned that these longhorns were coming. The newspapers had advertised that a herd of Texas Longhorn steers, driven by Texas cowboys would pass through the city on a certain day. The entire populace of the city and surrounding country had gathered on the streets, awnings and housetops, to witness their passing.

It was like a menagerie come to town. It was indeed a great show to these Northerners. Bridle reins, cow whips and lariats were all made of rawhide. Saddle girths were home made from the long hair of horses’ tails. Each cowboy had a pistol or two hung to a belt around his waist.

As they passed along main street between tall buildings on either side, the jingling bells fastened to the cowboys’ spurs, they were an astonishing thing to the spectators. Many were the expressions of surprise at the long horns of the steers, four to five feet from tip to tip, and the unusual garb of the cowboys.

The market at Kansas City was not satisfactory but Mr. Stubblefield did sell about thirty head to get money for current expenses, and then drove the balance of the herd on toward Chicago.

The herd was driven on the west side of the Mississippi River until they reached Davenport, Iowa, before crossing. They were not going in the direction of Chicago but much to the west. There was a threefold purpose in this: 1st, owners of toll bridges across the Mississippi would not permit the cattle to cross on them; 2nd, the cattle had to have grass every day and the country was more sparsely settled on the west side of the river than on the east, so grass was better and more plentiful; 3rd, by keeping to the west they avoided the denser settlements and agricultural areas of Illinois, which would have given trouble keeping the cattle off of growing crops. Also preventing domestic cattle from getting into their herd. Some unscrupulous herdsmen never tried to extricate domestic cattle from their herds. Just drove them on to market.

At Davenport, Iowa, they found a ferry boat connecting with Rock Island, Ill. A deal was made to haul the cattle, drivers and horses across the river on this ferry boat. The first load consisting of about fifty steers, a cowboy and his horse, were driven onto the boat.

As the boat shoved off from land with its cargo, a big longhorn steer became excited, and with head high in the air, rushed around from one side of the boat to the other. Just as they reached mid-stream of the great Mississippi River this steer in his excitement leaped over the ballaster into the river. He swam out on the bank where the boat was to land, but he did not stop. He discovered a washing of clothes on the line nearby and rushed for the white garments. He hooked the clothes, tore down the line, frightened the wash woman and ran her into the house, and played havoc generally.

The boat soon landed and the belled steer walked off in the lead.  The excited steer heard the bell and came running to the herd. Sam was on his horse on the boat with the cattle, a silent spectator of the steer's antics. When the boat landed he rode directly to the house where the steer had caused such havoc with the intention of paying the lady for the damage the steer had done. But, lo! Out of the house came the lady with a shotgun in hand, raving mad. In her anger she pointed the gun at Sam as if she meant to shoot him. As quickly as a flash Sam drew his pistol from its holster, pointed it directly at her and said:  “Drop that gun or I’ll kill you.” She opened her hands and the gun fell to the ground. Then Sam coolly remarked, “Lady, I came here to pay for the damage the steer has done. You could see that the steer was out of our control. We could not prevent him from doing what he has done. Now calm yourself and tell me the amount of damage.” An agreement was reached and she was promptly paid. By this time both the steer and woman had calmed down and the incident was closed.

The herd, now on the east side of the Mississippi River, at Rock Island, Ill., was turned east for Chicago which was still many miles away.

When they reached a point within twenty miles of Chicago it was decided to rent a pasture and hold the cattle for a week or two and give the owner an opportunity to ride into the city and negotiate a sale. It was Sam’s job to stay with the herd and keep them together until the owner returned. He procured a boarding place with the owner of the pasture and for the next two weeks Sam watched the herd.

During his stay there a sixteen year old boy at the boarding house became very much interested in Sam because he was a Texas cowboy, and followed him everywhere he went constantly asking questions about Texas, cowboys, etc. The boy remarked that he had heard that these Texas cowboys could shoot a pistol with such accuracy as to kill squirrels in high trees. Sam said, “Yes, I can do that.” The boy, apparently doubting Sam’s statement, suggested that if Sam would follow him he would show him a squirrel to shoot.
Down through the timber on a creek they strolled and sure enough he pointed out a squirrel high in a tree. Sam drew his cap and ball revolver, and holding it in one hand at arms length, fired. Out tumbled the squirrel to the ground dead. The boy was bewildered and talked about this great feat every day to his family and neighbors.

For two weeks Sam kept watch over the herd until the owner returned from Chicago and stated that he had contracted to sell the entire herd.

Here I must remark that the cattle were in better flesh than when they started from Texas five months before. They were driven into the city and the purchaser paid Mr. Stubblefield forty dollars a head in cash. The herd consisted of 900 head when it started, but forty were lost in the stampede, and thirty sold in Kansas City to obtain expense money, leaving about 830 head delivered in Chicago netting $35,000.

While strolling around in the city of Chicago admiring the sights Sam found a business house with buggies on display for sale. A buggy was as much a curiosity to him as longhorn steers and cowboys were to the residents of Chicago. Sam thought what a wonder a buggy would be to his neighbors in Texas and finally decided to buy one. He paid $160.00 for the buggy and harness and headed back to Texas in grand style - the owner of a brand new buggy. He took a more easterly route on his return in order to traverse country more populat